Motor operated switch



Feb. 28, 1939.

H. WERMEiLLE 2,149,036

MOTOR OPERATED SWITCH Filed Aug. 1, 1935 Tia-.2-

INVENTOR.

BY M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR OPERATED SWITCH Application August 1, 1935, Serial No. 34,175 In Switzerland September 20, 1934 2 Claims.

The invention relates to motor-operated electric switches and more particularly to a novel and improved switch of this type adapted for use at a distance from the operator.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an illustrative embodiment of the invention with the front cover removed;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partially diagrammatic detail of the contact actuating mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a detail in side elevation of part of the one-way clutch mechanism.

The invention has for its object the provision of a novel and useful improvement in motoroperated switches wherein the motor is returned to its initial position after each operation and wherein the switch setting is not disturbed during the return and de-energization of the motor. Such switches are useful for the remote control of various circuits, such as street lighting circuits. Such a switch is shown and described in the copending application of Willi BeuschSerial No. 743,223 filed September 8, 1934, which became Patent No. 2,083,425 on June 8, 1937, and the present invention is primarily an improvement on certain features of said Beusch switch.

The improvements of the present invention are chiefly directed to the motor-operated means for timing and actuating the cycles of making and breaking contact in the switch. More particularly, the invention comprises a novel construction for readily, and easily modifying the switching cycle or cycles through a wide range and without disturbing the switch-driving and controlling mechanism or motor connections in the slightest. In switches of the type disclosed in said Beusch application, a movable switch contact is controlled in its movements towards and away from another contact by rotatable cams mounted on a shaft driven from the motor, and the chief object of the present invention is to provide switch operating cams or the equivalent which can be widely modified in their relation to the switching cycle without the setting or movement of any parts along or about the rotating shaft carrying said cam means.

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawing, the apparatus is supported within a casing and may be mounted upon the rear wall or base I thereof, the cover not being shown. The iron frame 3 of the switch-actuating motor of the Ferraris type is supported on a base plate 2 seated within the casing, said motor also comprising the coil 4 and the disc-shaped rotor 5.

The switch to be actuated by said motor means comprises one or more fixed contacts 23 rigidly secured to an insulating plate by bolts 22, the ends of which serve as circuit terminals. Movable contacts 25 for cooperating with the fixed contacts 23 are connected to the insulating plate 2| by flat conductor springs 24 and other bolts 22, the effect of springs 24 being to normally hold the contacts in circuit closing position.

Referring now to the embodied means for effecting opening and closing of the switch contacts by the motor, a counter shaft 1 is driven from the motor through suitable reduction gearing such as the gears 6 on the rotor shaft which meshes with gear wheel 6 on the countershaft I. Said gear wheel 6' is preferably frictionally conneoted to the countershaft by means of a spring 8 which forces the face of the wheel against a flat arm 9 projecting from the shaft.

The embodied means for effecting return movement of the motor to its initial position after deenergization comprises a coil spring l2 which is fixed at one end to the countershaft l and at the other end to the bearing 3| of said countershaft.

A one-way clutch mechanism is provided for transmitting movement of the countershaft in one direction to the switch-actuating means, while preventing slip or return movement thereof during the returning movement of the motor itself. As embodied, an arm II is fixed to the countershaft l at an intermediate point. Spaced from said arm and also fixed to the countershaft is a cam 32 between which and the arm H is loosely mounted a spur gear 35. Said spur gear is provided with a disc flange 33 on the side adjacent the arm H and with a similar disc flange 34 adjacent the cam 32. Means are provided for imparting motion in one direction from the arm II to the wheel 35 through the disc 33, said means comprising a spring pawl 19 fixed to the end of arm II and adapted to engage projections 36 on the periphery of the disc 33, whereby arm I I will impart movement to the disc in a direction indicated by the arrow;

Means for preventing reverse rotation of the spur gear 35 comprises a detent pawl 39 which is fixed to the base plate 2 and overlies the flangedisc 34. Said disc 34 is provided Wlth;tWO:di---- ametrically opposite notches 3'! with which a flat portion 353 communicates on-one-sider As shownin Fig. 4 the pawl 39 lies against both=the periphery of the disc 34 and the cam 32 so that the disc 34 is prevented from. turning in,one di rection by the high edge of the notch 31, butini the postiion of rest shown in Fig. 4, the pawl 39 is held out of the bottom of the notch by the cam 32 so thatrthe -disc;-canbe rotated in the-reverse direction.

The operation of the foregoing. mechanism isas follows: W

If the circuit, in;WhiGh..-the-,coi-l 4- of ;the motor-,- 3, 4, 5- is connected,, is closed to energize; the; motor, the rotor-5 turns the countershaft-land the spring pawl |9;1by; means-of thedisefiangefit, takes-withitthe gear whee1;35.- The detent pawl r 39 =does not prevent this rotation since insuch motion it is vcorclucted by.therfiat-pflrtion v33 011 :to the periphery of thediscflangefiaw After the countershafir I. has; made a half 7 revolution, the fiat arm 9 abutsagainstafixed-stop,not shown in the drawing, so thateither the frictional drive between the-gear; wheel of 1 the; gear 6 mounted on; the countershaft1 and- I the flat arm; 3., allows; slip to take place, or when the frictional resistanoe to relative movementtohthe parts is-greater than the turning moment of the;rotor -5, therotor is brakeduntilyit;comesto rest.; Shortly; before the completion; of the half revolution-of the countershaft- I; the, detent pawl 391S1lfi into. one of the recesses;31 and by this means, Prevents.

any possible, advance;movement of; the rotary member 33;, 34, 35 -beyond the halt revolution of the countershaft; 1, If; the circuitof theqmotoris again interrupted, the, oountershaftfl; together with the spring pawl ,-l 9, thegear brand; therotor 5, returns toits original position undertheactiorr of the returnin spring, I 2-,- The rotary member 33,- 34, 35: cannot follow, thi-s;;return .mqtion by; reason of the action of thedetentpawlte. However, shortly-before the:-.countershaf,t1 7 a has re;

( turned to its position; of rest; the -detent :pawl 39- is-raised bytthelifting cam; 32; to the-,heightyof the flat 38, whereby-,therotary Inernber33, 34,135; is, released for rotation in the next operative movement ofthe, countersha-ft 'l.

The, embodied means for transmitting theg de,- sired motion from the fcountershaft l tothe move able, contacts 25 comprises .a-reducing; geartomeshing with gear 35 and mounted on the-pp; crating shaft l5. A-cameli-ke actuatingflevice for each switch ;contactis :rotatably connected, with shaft,l5 and comprises discs 4| fixed-to theshaft and provided with a, plurality; ofscrew threaded holes 42 arranged ,in; a, circle. near, the peripheriy of the disc. A plurality-of pins 43:2tIeeSGleWedinto-said holes, said; pins beingprovided with screw-threadedshafts adjacent thewslotted head 44 and-a; smoo h y ndricalportion remoteifrom thenead; Wh n the .ri-nsare pr-per y;, :in the; dis s 1. :it twilh ee learatz he pr jectin portions: orm; an:;an iular =or 'substantialt h drical group of rods about the shaft l and lying against the upper end of the movable contact spring, which is preferably covered with an insulating sleeve 45. As the shaft l5 rotates, it will be clear that member 45 will slide over the cylindrical surface formed by the projecting pins.

The operation of the switch contacts by the pin-camming mechanism describedabove is as follows:

The operative movement of the countershaft 7 is transmitted by means of the gear wheel 35 of the rotary member 33, 34, 35 at a reduced rate to the operating shaft l5 through the spur Wheel 40. In this operation the insulating pieces 45 on the carrier strips 46-of the movable contacts 25 slideover the cylindrical surface formed by the projecting-.parts of the pins 43. If the ring of pins 43- is uninterrupted, the insulating pieces 45 with the contacts 25 are held in a position which prevents contact being made between 23 and 25, i. e: anypmovementof. the-part 4|,43-producing an elevationdoes not:take place= position shown in Fig, 2);. If onrthe other hand several adjacent pins 43 are removed from the discs 4|, i.- e.--, there isa gap inthe ring of pins, when thisgap passes theinsulatingpiece-45,. the latter sinks into this gap and: a momentary closure of the circuit between-23 and ,25;is.obtained (Figure 3), until the nextypin 43. after the gap exertsa lifting action onthe insulating piece 45,and by, this-means the contacts 23, 25 are again moved. apart from-one another.

It will be seen'that on one rotation of the operating shaft. l5; aplurality-ot closuresof the circuit. can be produced on. different angular movementsof the operating shaft, forwhich purpose there is only necessarya corresponding-distribution of the pins43. in the disc 4!.-

By reason of the operating shaftbeinggconnected to the countershaft throughreduction gearing, the number. of cycles of .operationspossiblewith thearrangernentshown in said Beusch application can be considerably increased; Forexample, the. circuit of the motor mechanism 3, 4, 5 can be closed seven times, before the operating-shaft 5. has made. on revolution: The conditions can be altered. bysuitable selectio-nof;v the relative sizes of thewheels 35 zandiz 43,-,a-nd can be so fixed as to obtain a .still.-lar.ger number; of cycles. In order. to; have a freeahand. :in :this respect, the-,wheels.35, 46 :can ibetmade-so as to. be. easily interchangeable.

In the exampleofconstruction shown it is; assumed; that two circuits:-. areito be controlled; There, can however be, fewerro-r; more; the; latter. case. a a1. corresp onding number. of discs 4! are. arranged on the operating -sh-aft Since the, lifting; device- .required :for; the close-- ing; and openingiof each circuit comprises discand removable pins arranged in a. rcleztherein; any alteration in the--cycles;o-f.svmchin-g opera tions Joan. ibe obtained: without its being-necessary; to make anyyadjustrnentrot theeliftingdevice-rebatively; to the operatingishaft, .i. the can be simply -.insertedin, the-disc in the-manner desired.

Theearrangcment :that .thedetent pawl 39 by falling; into. a.-.recess-- 3? preventsan advance movement-oftherotary member :33, 34,35 beyond; the-\- angular I stroke oafitheespring pawl i 5,: or -.irr other words, beyond: a half-revolution of. the counter-shaft], is'importantirr the case-where the.p ins- 43.are so arrangedina ;plurality .of :discs 4i that in these discs .-aigap;. in eachring of pins comessinta operative ,-re1ation .:at T the same time.

with the insulating piece 45 and by this means the springs 24 of these insulating pieces together exert a sudden turning moment on the operating shaft 15.

Instead of being arranged parallel to the operating shaft I5 the pins 43 can be arranged radially relatively thereto. In this case the screwthreaded holes for the screwing in of the pins would be arranged in the peripheral surface of the disc 4i and the free ends of the pins would form the sliding track for the contact carrier. The pins 43 must then be provided at their inner ends with screw-threads serving for screwing them in and the formation thereof into a head 44 would preferably be dispensed with. Screw threaded holes 4'! may be provided in the base 2 for holding spare pins.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. In a motor-actuated electric switch in combination a movable contact, a second contact, means for moving the movable contact relatively to the second contact comprising a motor of the Ferraris type and rotary cam means actuated thereby for moving the movable contact, the actuating surface of said cam being comprised of a plurality of spaced apart rods disposed in a substantially cylindrical relation, said rods being removable to vary the peripheral action of said cylindrical surface.

2. In a motor-actuated electric switch in combination a movable contact, a second contact, means for moving the movable contact relatively to the second contact comprising a motor of the Ferraris type and rotary cam means actuated thereby for moving the movable contact, the ac tuating surface of said cam being comprised of a plurality of spaced apart rods disposed in a substantially cylindrical relation with the movable contact tangential to the cam surface, said rods being removable and interchangeable to vary the peripheral action of said cylindrical surface.

HENRI WERMEILLE. 

